Hat stretching machine



Dec. 15, 1931. i c. E. PARKERTON 1,836,278

HAT STRETCHING'MACHINE Filed July 10, 1929 H means for the cone sections.

Patented Dec. 15, 1931 UNITED v STATES.

PATENT OFFiCE Y CLARENCE E. rnnxnn'roiv, OF NEW ninronnoommo'rrouir, assrenon'ro W.A RREN d. ,MEROI-ER, or DANBURY, oomwno'rrco'r i HAT s'rnn'romne micnmn j lnpplicationlflled uly: 10,

This invention relates to a machine for stretching and shaping the feltedcone for making hats,'andhas for an object to provide a machine which wi'll facilitate the shaping and working of thehat cone to proper shape and size and whereby thisoperation' can be secured more easily and'performed more rapidly than the methods now'generally in use; I

10 With the foregoing and other objects in view the invention consists in certain novel features of construction, combinations and arrangements of parts aswill be more fully disclosed in connection *withthe accompanying drawings. f "In these drawings:- j s Fig. I side elevation of the machine with parts broken awayto more clearly show Fig. 2 is a transverse section substantially online 2+2of'Fig L' Fig. 3 is arear view of one ofthe sections of the cone support.

g2 YFig. "4 is aside elevation thereof with a portion broken away to more clearly show the construction. n

Fig.15 is.a detail partially in section and partially in elevation of the operating 7 L Fig. 6v is" a top plan view of the operating f Fig; 7 is a side elevation thereof, and

Fig. 8 is a partial side elevation and partial section of the rotary tip block andsu pport therefor. I V I j The improved machine illustrated comprisesan' upright conical support made of a plurality of-sections 10, in the formshown there being four;ofthesesections, although "4 zo'ntal' radially extending guide ways 11 mounted on a suitable support or base 12 supported at a desirable height by suitable legs 13. It is preferred that the guide ways 11 be cast in one piece as then they are always maintained in proper relation to eachother,

for the hat 1929. semi Not-377,220. j

provided on their lower ends with dove tail ribs '15 to fit and slide "in these grooves. The

sections also each preferably have an uprightstrengthening rib 16. When the sec t-ions are mounted in their grooves and are 1 located at their inner-most positions they form a substantially cone shaped support cone 17 which is to be operated upon. 7 vj At the" upper or smaller end of the'conesup port is a rounded and tapered block 18 which is so shaped astofit the tip of thehatcone and support it. This block is carried by a suitable upright support or frame 19 mounted Vonthe base 12 andwhich'extends upwardly it within the conical support formed by the sec tions 10. The block is mounted on the frame or support 19 for rotary movements by any suitable means'such' as the screw or bolt 20. This block18"in efiect forms a continuation of the cone support. V

Automaticmeansis provided for continuoils-shifting of the sections10 laterally toward and from each other to expandand 7 contract the cone support when the deviceis in operation. For this 'purposethere isan upright shaft 21 extending through an'opening in the base 12 and guided for reciprocating movements in a bracket22 secured to the underside of thebase. 'Adjustably secured onthe shaft 211 is a tapered cam 23 and it is preferably threaded on this shaft for ad justing movements and has openings 24 for insertion of a-suitable tool-for turning the block to adjust iton the shaft; After adjustment it may be secured in an adjusted position by the lock nut 25; The sections 10 are provided withwalls 26'to engage the tapered surface 23 of the cam so that as the cam is forced upwardly this surface will force the sections 10 outwardly to expand the com cal support. It will, of course, be apparent that the size of'this support and the amount to which it is expanded will depend on the movement and position of the cam 23. The 10o sections 10 of the conical support inwardly to contract the support and also to. retain the shoulders 26 in engagement with the cam 23. For this purpose tension springs 33 are provided, one connecting the two diametrically Thus with opposite sections of eachpain four sections there are two of these springs connected to the ribs 16 of the diametrically opposite sections by any suitable means such as bolts 34. I '7 v In operation it will be apparent ,as the shaft 29 is rotated the shaft 21 and ca1n 23 are reciprocated up and down under the action of the eccentric 28 and spring 32. Upward movements of the cam 23 reacting against the surfaces 26 on the sections 10 will force these sections radially outward or laterally away from each other to expand-the conical support, and as the cam 23 moves downwardly the springs 33 will draw these sections inwardly toward each other to contract the conical support. When the felted cone is removed from the copper cone in the coner it is very much out of shape and lopsided and has to be worked to get it to proper shape and the fibres of the fur properly felted together. The operator places this hat cone indicated at 17 over the conical support with the block 18 fitting in and supporting the tip of the cone. He then grasps the lower edge 35 of the hat cone on opposite sides of the conical support and pulls the cone down against the surface of the support at the same time turning the hat cone about a vertical axis with the block 18 which, as described above, is mounted for turning move ments. Under this action the expansion and contraction of the conical support stretches and shapes the hat cone bringing it. to the desired size and shape and pressing and felting the fibres firmly together, the stretching action being indicated by the dotted lines in F ig. 1. It is also preferred to provide in the surface of the sections 10 of the conical support a series of spaced peripheral grooves 36 which tend to prevent the hat cone slipping upwardly on the surface of the support as the support expands. It will. be apparent that this device does mechanically the work that has been previously done by 'ha-nd and does it in a much quicker and more satisfactory manner with much less labor on thepart of the operator.

Having thus set forth the nature of my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a machine for stretching and shaping 2.. In a machine for stretching hat cones, a

plurality of radially extending guides, an upright conical support for the hat cone comprising a plurality of sections mounted for lateral movement in said guides, a block at the smaller end of the support forming a substantial continuation of the surface thereof to fit into the tip of the hat cone to support it, a cam reciprocable longitudinally of said support, means. on said sections cooperating withthe cam to shift the sections laterally outward, and means for reciprocating the cam. v

1 In a machine for stretching hat cones, a base, radially extending guides carried by said base, an upright conical support for the hat cone comprising a plurality of laterally movable-sections mounted in said guides, a block mounted for rotary movement relatively to said laterally movable sections at the small end of said support to fit in the tip of the hat cone, and means for reciprocating the sections of the support in said guides.

4. In a machine for stretching hat cones, a cone shaped support having in its surface a plurality of spaced circumferentially extending grooves, said support comprising a plurality of laterally movable sections, a block mounted at the smaller end of the support to fit the tip of the hat cone and rotatable relatively to the movable sections, and means for simultaneously moving the sections laterally to stretch a hat cone on the support.

. 5. In amachine for stretching hat cones, a base, radially extending guides carried by said base, an upright conical support for the hat cone comprising a plurality of laterally movable sections mounted in said guides and provided in their surfaces with a plurality of spaced circumferentially extending grooves, a block mounted for rotary movement relatively to the movable sections at the small end of said support to fit in the tip of the hat cone, and means for reciprocating the sections of the support in said guides.

6. In a machine for stretching hat cones, a horizontal base, a plurality of radially extending guides on said base, an upright conical support for the hat cone comprising a plurality of upright sections mounted for lateral movements toward and from each other in said guides, an upright support enclosed by said sections, a block at the upper end of the conical support mounted for turning movements on said upright support and shaped to fit in the tip of the hatcone, an upright reciprocable-shaft, a cam on said shaft, means on the movable sections to engage said cam I to shift the sections outwardly, springs tending to move the sections inwardly, and means for reciprocating the cam shaft.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

CLARENCE E. PARKERTON. 

